Sanitary toothpick dispenser



July 9; 1940. c, w 2,207,528

SANITARY TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed June 28, 1939 INVENTOR [BY .arZ/ZWZZ27 Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFECE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers and in particular to sanitarytoothpick dispensers adapted to pay out one toothpick at a time withoutclogging.

5 The principal object of the invention is to provide an extremelysimple sanitary dispenser for round toothpicks and the like which willpay out but one toothpick at a time and in which the dispensing elementis adapted to hold one or more toothpicks after being paid out ready tobe manually removed from the said dispensing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple,inexpensive to manufacture, sanitary dispenser for toothpicks and thelike having but a single movable dispensing element which will pay outround toothpicks one at a time, the dispensing element being adapted tohold at least one toothpick after having been paid out while one or moreother toothpicks are paid out without interfering with the paying out oftoothpicks subsequent to the paying out of the first toothpick.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a sanitary toothpick dispenserembodying the invention with a portion thereof broken away showing thepivotal mounting of the dispensing element employed.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of the dispenser disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1showing the dispensing element in its normal position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view simv ilar to Fig. 3 showingthe dispensing element pivoted manually to a position in which itreceives a toothpick from the hopper.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View with the cover removed showing theparticular shape of hopper employed.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, the sanitary tooth--pick dispenser disclosed comprises, in general, a hopper Ii) preferablymoulded of thermo-plastics or the like supported on a pair of legs IIformed integral with the ends of the said hopper and located inwardlytherefrom between which a dispensing element designated by the numerali2 is pivotally mounted about an axis longitu- 55 dinal with respect tothe said hopper ID on pins.

I3 disposed through the lower portion of the said legs II. The legs IIsupporting the hopper ID are preferably secured to a suitable base I 4by rabbeting the same therein as indicated in the drawing. A cover I5having a depending peripheral edge I6 is frictionally engaged over thetop of the said hopper I0.

The said hopper II] has vertical sides I! and ends I8 and a slopingbottom I9 which terminates into a pair of laterally spaced verticallydepending aprons 20 oppositely curved along their longitudinal axescomplementary to the curvature of the side of a toothpick to bedispensed from the said hopper. The bottom of the said depending aprons20 are formed to a vertical curve complementary to the curvature of theside of a toothpick to be dispensed from the said hopper. The lateralspace between the said depending hopper bottom aprons 20 is equal to atleast three and preferably four times the diameter of a toothpick to bedispensed from the dispenser plus a slight clearance to avoid jambing.The foregoing relationship between the size and shape of the hopper I0and the toothpicks to be dispensed therefrom is important inasmuch as,after long experiment, it has been found that any material deviationfrom the above causes the dispenser to become jambed during operation.

The dispensing element I2 is composed of a longitudinally disposed shaft2I integral with which is moulded laterally spaced dispensing segments22 and 23 which extend radially upward from the said shaft 2! to closethe bottom of the hopper l0 between the longitudinally disposeddepending aprons 20 thereof, the front portion of the segments 22 and 23being notched as indicated in Figs. 2., 3 and 4 for the purposehereinafter described in detail. The said shaft 2| has an aperture 24longitudinally therethrough into which mounting pins I3 disposed throughsuitable apertures in the legs II are pressed.

The front end of the dispensing segment 23 is preferably enlarged at 25and is cored to receive an operating arm 26 onto the end of which asuitable operating knob 21 is fixed. The weight of the said knob 21 issuch as to normally maintain the dispensing element I2 and the segments22 and 23 thereof rotated to the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3wherein the unnotched portion of the segments 22 and 23 is positioneddirectly under the depending aprons 2B of the hopper ill, in whichposition the segments 22 and 23 of the dispensing element I2 support thetoothpicks 28 in the hopper III. A stop 29 suitably located on thesegment 23 of the dispensing element l2 prevents the said dispensingelement I2 from rotating too far under the gravity infiuence of theoperating knob 2?, see Fig. 3. In its lifted position the operating knob2i contacts the front side of the hopper If! and serves as a stop topermit the segments 22 and 23 of the dispensing element l2 to rotatewhen the said operating knob is lifted until the carrier notches 30therein become positioned slightly greater than the diameter of onetoothpick inward from the inner side of the front depending apron 28 ofthe hopper liLsee Fig. 4.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be observed that the rearward portion ofthe carrier notches 3B in the segments 22 and 23 of the dispensingelement l2 are disposed substantially vertical when the operating knobis lifted to the toothpick receiving position, however, the forwardportion of the said carrier notches 30 slopes forwardly downward whenthe dispensing element I2 is permitted to drop by gravity to thetoothpick dispensing position shown in Fig. 3 wherein a toothpickreceived by the said segments 22 and 23 in the carrier notches 35thereof rolls out of the said carrier notches into the dispensingnotches 3| in the segments 22 and 23. It is preferable that the saiddispensing notches 3! in the segments 22 and 23 are large enough toreceive at least two toothpicks. The said dispensing notches 3| being sodisposed as to present to the user of the dispenser toothpicks paid outfrom the hopper ID to the dispensing notches by the carrier notches eachtime the operating knob 27 is fully lifted to the position shown in Fig.4 from its normal position shown in Fig. 3 and permitted to drop back toits normal position shown in Fig. 3.

The said dispensing notches 3! in the dispensing segments 22 and 23 areshaped reentrant so as to prevent any toothpick once received thereinfrom rolling back into the carrier notches 3B and fouling the paying outof toothpicks from the hopper Ill by gravity into the said carriernotches 38. If more toothpicks are paid out of the hopper Ill into thecarrier notches 3G by repeated lifting of the operating knob 27 than thecapacity of the dispensing notches 3! then excess toothpicks paid outwill merely fall from the dispensing element I2. A suitable spacer bar32 is preferably provided integral with and laterally between the upperrear portion of the segments 22 and 23 to maintain them in rigid radialalignment.

Although the novel sanitary toothpick dispenser has been shown anddescribed as manufactured of moulded plastics, obviously it may beconstructed of metal or other suitable material by those skilled in theart.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosedand described in detail, it is obvious that many changes andmodifications may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail ofthe various elements of the invention without departing from the spiritthereof, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the inventionother than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sanitary toothpick dispenser, a hopper having a slot in thebottom thereof, means supporting said hopper, an apron depending fromsaid hopper each side of said slot, a dispensing element composed of alongitudinally disposed shaft journaled on said hopper supporting meansfor arcuate movement on an axis parallel to and below the said slot insaid hopper and a pair of laterally spaced dispensing segments extendingupwardly from said shaft into substantial contact with said dependingaprons, the segments of the said dispensing element each having acarrier notch and a dispensing notch in the periphery thereof, the saidcarrier notches being located to receive but one toothpick at a timewhen the said dispensing element is moved arcuately under said hopperslot to a toothpick receiving position and shaped to permit thetoothpick carried therein to gravitate to the said dispensing notcheswhen said dispensing element segments are moved arcuately forward withrespect to the said hopper slot to a toothpick dispensing position, andan operating handle on said dispensing element for moving the saiddispensing element arcuately on its axis to and from the toothpickreceiving position from and to the toothpick dispensing position.

2. In a sanitary toothpick dispenser, a hopper having a slot in thebottom thereof, means supporting said hopper, an apron depending fromsaid hopper each side of said slot, the said aprons being curved alongtheir oppositely disposed inner faces and along the bottom thereofcomplementary to the curvature of the side of a toothpick to bedispensed, a dispensing element composed of a longitudinally disposedshaft journaled on said hopper supporting means for arcuate movement onan axis parallel to and below the said slot in said hopper and a pair oflaterally spaced dispensing segments extending upwardly from said shaftinto substantial contact with said depending aprons, the segments of thesaid dispensing element each having a carrier notch and a dispensingnotch in the periphery thereof, the said carrier notches being locatedto receive but one toothpick at a time when the said dispensing elementis moved arcuately under said hopper slot to a toothpick receivingposition and shaped to permit the toothpick carried therein to gravitateto the said dispensing notches when said dispensing notches when saiddispensing element segments are moved arcuately forward with respect tothe said hopper slot to a toothpick dispensing position, and anoperating handle on said dispensing element serving as a counterweightmeans for normally maintaining the said dispensing element in itsdispensing position.

3. In a sanitary toothpick dispenser, a hopper having a slot in thebottom thereof at least slightly greater in width than the diameter ofthree toothpicks to be dispensed therefrom, means supporting saidhopper, an apron depending from said hopper each side of said slot, thesaid aprons being curved along their oppositely disposed inner faces andalong the bottom thereof complementary to the curvature of the side of atoothpick to be dispensed, a dispensing element composed of alongitudinally disposed shaft journaled on said hopper supporting meansfor arcuate movement on an axis parallel to and below the said slot insaid hopper and a pair of laterally spaced dispensing segments extendingupwardly from said shaft into substantial contact with said dependingaprons, the segments of the said dispensing element each having acarrier notch and a dispensing notch in the periphery thereof, the saidcarrier notches being located to receive but one toothpick at a timewhen the said dispensing element is moved arcuately under said hopperslot to a toothpick receiving position and shaped to permit thetoothpick carried therein to gravitate to the said dispensing notcheswhen said dispensing element segments are moved arcuately forward withrespect to the said hopper slot to a toothpick dispensing position, andan operating handle on said dispensing element for moving the saiddispensing element arcuately on its axis to and from the toothpickreceiving position from and to the toothpick dispensing position.

4. In a sanitary toothpick dispenser, a hopper having a slot in thebottom thereof at least slightly greater in width than the diameter ofthree toothpicks to be dispensed therefrom, means supporting saidhopper, an apron depending from said hopper each side of said slot, thesaid aprons being curved along their oppositely disposed inner faces andalong the bottom thereof complementary to the curvature of the side of atoothpick to be dispensed, a dispensing element composed of alongitudinally disposed shaft journaled on said hopper supporting meansfor arcuate movement on an axis parallel to and below the said slot insaid hopper and a pair of laterally spaced dispensing segments extendingup- Wardly from said shaft into substantial contact with said dependingaprons, the segments of the said dispensing element each having acarrier notch and a dispensing notch in the periphery thereof, the saidcarrier notches being located to receive but one toothpick at a timewhen the said dispensing element is moved arcuately under said hopperslot to a toothpick receiving position and shaped to permit thetoothpick carried therein to gravitate to the said dispensing notcheswhen said dispensing element segments are moved arcuately forward withrespect to the said hopper slot to a toothpick dispensing position, andan operating handle on said dispensing element serving as acounterweight means for normally maintaining the said dispensing elementin its dispensing position therefor.

5. In a sanitary toothpick dispenser, a hopper having a slot in thebottom thereof, means supporting said hopper, an apron depending fromsaid hopper each side of said slot, a dispensing element composed of alongitudinally disposed shaft journaled on said hopper supporting meansfor arcuate movement on an axis parallel to and below the said slot insaid hopper and. a pair of laterally spaced dispensing segmentsextending upwardly from said shaft into substantial contact with saiddepending aprons, the segments of the said dispensing element eachhaving a carrier notch and a dispensing notch in the periphery thereof,the said carrier notches being located to receive but one toothpick at atime when the said dispensing elementis moved arcuately under saidhopper slot to a toothpick receiving position and shaped to permit thetoothpick carried therein to gravitate to the said dispensing notcheswhen said dispensing element segments are moved arcuately forward withrespect to the said hopper slot to a toothpick dispensing position, and

an operating handle on said dispensing element for moving the saiddispensing element arcuately on its axis to and from the toothpickreceiving position from and to the toothpick dispensing position, thesaid dispensing notches being reentrantly formed sufficiently to preventtoothpicks received therein from rolling back into the carrier notcheswhen said dispensing element is moved arcuately to its receivingpositionfrom its dispensing position.

CARL A. WITT.

